


Millium Glynn

by AoNo



Series: Force of Will Lore [2]
Category: Force of Will (Card Game)
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, FowTCG, Lore retelling, Magic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-03
Updated: 2018-11-15
Packaged: 2019-04-18 00:28:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14200990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AoNo/pseuds/AoNo
Summary: Thirty years have passed since the war against the Cthulhu. In that time the Light Palace kingdom has known only peace under the rule of King Grimm and Queen Pandora. Unfortunately, that peace would not last. A new force has arrived, threatening the very existence of their world, and even time itself. Now it's the next generation of heroes' turn to fight to restore the peace.Heroes of old return along with new faces. The son of Grimm, young Millium Glynn, joins the fight to make his mark on history as his parents once had before him. Follow as the prince learns of his destiny and discovers his ancient power, power similar to that of the enemy. Time is short, and the pages of their story grow thin. Will the heroes of light be able to defeat the enemies of darkness?





	1. Millium's Stone

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Force of Will Lore](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/368137) by N/A. 



> The following is a retelling of the Lapis cluster lore from the perspective of Millium. The character was built up as a main character with significant contributions to the story, but ended up being lost in the narrative. He was included in important scenes, but was otherwise non-inclusive, resulting in much of his character, personality, and development being non-existent. I hope to fix that with this as I feel that, being a main character and son of two original main heroes, he deserved a bit more.   
> You can find the original lore on Force of Will's official website, fowtcg.com

“Young master! Oh where did that boy go!”

A young fairy tale woman stomped through the Light Palace corridors in a huff. Orange sunlight streamed through the large crystalline window and reflected off the marble floor. The sunset always illuminated the palace in a beautiful light, but the girl did not have time to admire it. The setting sun signified the late hour; an hour in which a certain prince should be readying himself for bed. 

“Honestly Master Millium, you are far too much like your father when he was your age,” The girl grumbled.

“Wendy, Wendy; referring to the King so rudely? How bad of you~” A voice teased from behind.

Wendy sighed in annoyance and looked above to find none other than Tinkerbell. She crossed her arms in irritation, “Shouldn’t you be with Peter helping to look for the Prince?”

The fairy shrugged with a smirk, “King Grimm needed him, so you’re just left with me.”

The blonde sighed again. She had been doing that quite a bit lately, she noted, “Do you have any idea where the young master is, then?” 

It wasn’t that Wendy disliked the fairy. Sure they had rough patches in the early days of their story, but they had since become decent friends at the very least. The girl’s irritation came from the fact that the tiny fairy tale and her companion rarely took their duties seriously. King Grimm had entrusted the trio with his son since the three were some of his most beloved fairy tale friends. Wendy was more than happy to assist and took her job very seriously. Peter Pan and Tinkerbell, on the other hand, were usually the reason the boy would get into trouble the rare time the prince caused mischief. While she had to admit Millium could learn to loosen up just a bit, she respected the fact that he, too, took his duties so seriously. The last thing she wanted to see was his study time being wasted on foolish endeavors, especially at his age.

Tinkerbell ignored Wendy’s light glare and leaned back nonchalantly, “Did you check the regular place?”

“Yes of course I did. He wasn’t sitting at any of the tables or ledges as he usually does. I figured he may be in the library instead.”

The fairy snickered, “Nahh, he’s definitely in the usual place.”

Wendy raised an incredulous eyebrow, “And what makes you think that?”

“Oh nothing, nothing at all~”, Tinkerbell sung teasingly as she fluttered off in the opposite direction to where Wendy had been heading. 

Wendy slumped her shoulders in defeat and begrudgingly followed, “Fine, but if he’s not there and you waste my time we’re going to have a word later.”

And so the two made their way to the prince’s usual spot; the garden room. No one could blame the prince for frequenting that room in particular. The King had completely redone it after the war when he was practicing his magic. It was highly enchanted and filled with peaceful power. Despite the walls being clear glass windows, the stars hanging in the evening sky did not show. Instead it was always a perfect sky blue with a gentle stream of sunlight bathing the plants within. Even in the most harsh of winters the room would the perfect warm temperature. It was an excellent place to lounge, or in the prince’s case, study.

The two fairy tales entered the room. Wendy couldn’t help but breathe deeply at the embrace of the warm air. She always enjoyed the atmosphere; the tropical nature and lingering magic reminded her of Neverland.

Her enjoyment only lasted a moment before her hardened gaze searched the room. She paced around the white rock paths, searching every table and bench for any sign of the prince. He would be easy to spot amongst the greenery, or anywhere really. Millium greatly took after his father with black hair streaked with white which was quick to pick out in any crowd. Wendy was always amused by how much he resembled his mother as well, right down to his gold eyes.

Wendy frowned as she scanned the last of the room. She sighed and looked up to Tinkerbell, “See? He’s not here.”

In response, Tinkerbell folded her arms behind her head and pouted, “Psht, you were never very creative. This is why Grimm put Peter and I on Millium duty too.”

“Hey! Just what is that supposed to mean?” The girl jabbed her fists into her sides as she shouted at the smug fairy.

Tinkerbell simply giggled and flew off a short distance to a nearby tree. The tree in question was amongst bushes with beautiful pink and white flowers. The trunk was large and thick, even through the leaves Wendy could see the branches were just as massive. She squinted her eyes through the foliage and caught a glimpse of blue and gold. Slowly she crept forward and tilted her gaze upward into the weaving branches. Low and behold, there sat the prince, quiet and intently reading. Even from her angle she could see a quill swaying around the pages. Millium hadn’t even noticed their presence, obviously lost in his book.

Wendy frowned. While she admired his dedication to his studies, the hour was much too late and he needed his rest. Especially with the early hours he awoke to for his training. Reluctantly, she pondered how she could break his focus for attention without startling him.

“Hey hey, Prince Millium!” The fairy suddenly yelled.

“Wha-ah!” With Tinkerbell’s abrupt shout Millium jumped in surprise. As a result he lost his balance and fell from his seat. Thankfully the fairy made quick work to shower him in magic dust. Millium’s decent slowed just before he could make contact with the grass below. He floated above the surface in a somewhat awkward pose; his upper back just grazed the grass as his legs bent inwards to his chest and pointed up to the tree top.

His head darted around disoriented before he saw the two upside down fairy tales. He smiled sweetly, seemingly oblivious to his position, “Oh, hello Wendy! Hello Tinkerbell! What brings you here?”

Wendy brought a hand to her face in disbelief, “Prince Millium, you can’t honestly tell me you have no idea what time it is.”

The boy looked up, or down in his case, to the sky peeking between the leaves. He looked back to the girl with a shrug and laughed sheepishly, “It’s, uh, honestly difficult to tell.”

“Allow me to put it this way,” the girl began, “the sun has well set and the stars are beginning to fill the sky.”

“Oh dear,” Millium started before being promptly dropped to the ground below with an audible ‘oof’. Wendy shot Tinkerbell a glare at the rough treatment, though the fairy simply shrugged. She looked back to the prince to apologize, but he continued as if nothing happened, still in the awkward pose, “I do suppose I should head in. Mother might not be pleased if she found me awake at this hour.”

Wendy stared at the boy for a moment in silence. She would be surprised at his lack of concern to his obviously uncomfortable position, but in truth the boy had always been rather clueless at times, despite his high intelligence. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, or even a point of concern, but it was more often than not that things just went over his head. The girl couldn’t help but feel bad for whomever he was to wed. His obliviousness may prove to make...certain things difficult.

She shook her head to rid herself of such thoughts and cleared her throat in an attempt to keep her composure, “Yes, yes you should. Now come, you need to ready yourself for bed.”

Millium untangled himself with relative ease before rising to his feet. He brushed off the stray grass blades from his pants and tunic before gathering his fallen books and bounding over to Wendy. She eyed him up and down and crossed her arms at the patches of dirt and leaves sticking out of his messy hair, “You need a bath before anything.”

Confused at her comment the prince looked down at his own attire. Green patches of grass stained his clothes and was even visible on the black of his boots. His back undoubtedly shared the same fate and he was suddenly grateful that he didn’t wear his favourite cloak. Millium looked to the motherly girl and chuckled sheepishly, “Ahah, yeah, that probably wouldn’t hurt.”

And so the three left the garden room and made way for the bathroom closest to Millium’s room. He insisted that he needn’t a further escort and, after convincing Wendy he would not fall asleep in the tub again, was left to his business. 

In truth the prince really had lost track of time, though he had done so purposefully. Whenever the hours would grow late, he would alway move his studies to the garden room with the eternal sunlight. He knew the servants, and his mother especially, hated when he stayed up late. That never stopped him, however, and he would always try and come up with ways to hide away in peace. If he could find a way to study without sleep, he well and truly would. He was the child of two great rulers, ones whose names would surely go down in history. They defended their world and even the world of the fairy tales from vampires, nightmares, and the cthulhu. He had a lot to live up to and was more than willing to dedicated every free moment of his life to study and train for when his turn on the throne arrived. After all he was to turn twenty in a few months, his time would come soon.

Millium sighed and sunk into the hot bath he had prepared himself. The water was soothing and calming; he had spent most of the day doing nothing but study and practice with the knights. His teacher, Master Zero, had not come to the palace as of late. While he didn’t mind, for he was skilled enough that he didn’t need Zero watching his every training session, he did still miss her presence. Her words could be harsh and she had an...interesting training method, but he wouldn’t be nearly as skilled or strong as he was without her guidance. He only wished his magic was more powerful, but she could only do so much in that regard.

He was the son of Grimm, the heroic King. His father had rebuilt the kingdom after the devastation caused by Dracula and Abdul, and he had done so with mostly magic. He fought with magic of a variety of elements, and was able to summon enough fairy tales to populate the capitol. Grimm was known by all, both in this world and the world of the fairy tales, for his wisdom and great magical power. Millium, on the other hand, was limited to his spells. He could only call for a few fairy tales at a time, his magic was mostly focused on light no matter how hard he tried to deviate, and even then his spells were nothing special. Zero always praised him for his skill with the sword, but even then…

Millium groaned in frustration before dunking his head below the water. He kept his eyes closed as he lay suspended in the bath. Its heat kept his mind away from such thoughts, thoughts that always brought down his feeling of self worth. He knew he would never be as powerful as his father, or mother even, but he also reminded himself that he was him, not them. He just had to do the best he could to be the best that he could…

The prince shot upright from the water with a loud gasp. That was enough time alone with his thoughts. 

Millium hurriedly dried himself and changed into his sleepwear before heading to his room. He caught a glimpse of the sky out the window in his passing and couldn’t help but stop and admire the clear night. Stars of different sizes and luminosity dotted the sky by the millions. He suddenly found himself recalling the stories of the time with the crimson moon. He himself had never seen a moon, and even the people that had been alive those thirty years ago had only witnessed a moon for a few months. According to the fairy tales, a moon was a brilliant silver, and sometimes even had a face. Millium had always wondered how that was possible, but having never witnessed one himself he couldn’t really say.

Again he had to refocus himself, at least enough to get back to his quarters. It was late and fatigue had finally caught up to him. The last thing he wanted was for his mother to find him asleep in the hallway. Again.

At last he reached his room and shut the door behind him. Already changed, Millium immediately crawled under the covers of his bed while being careful not to stumble over the piles of paper and books. He rested his head on the pillow and sighed deeply as he closed his eyes. He was thankful for how tired he felt as sleep washed over him almost instantly. 

He slept rather peacefully through most of the night. Rarely did he have vivid dreams with most nights being nothing but restful slumber. 

But something felt off all of a sudden. He began to feel an intense heat and the air grew heavy, almost unbreathable. Millium opened his eyes, but what he saw was not his room. It appeared to be a forest village surrounded by dense trees. It would be a peaceful scene had it not been engulfed by flames. The inferno was intense, the heat and soot stung his throat and made his eyes water. He couldn’t help but cough harshly as he stumbled through the thick smoke. 

People ran by him, desperately trying to flee the disaster. He tried to call out to them, to anyone, but they ignored him as if he wasn’t there. Instead he continued towards whatever they were running from. He should have run away with them, but something pulled him towards the danger. Perhaps it was his instincts that told him he could help, but it felt different than that. It felt as if he was being lured by an invisible string of fate.

He continued struggling forward, weaving his way through the crowd and trying not to breathe too much of the dense smoke. Eventually the crowd thinned and he could see his surroundings more clearly. Before him was a tall structure consumed in a red blaze. He could just barely make out the colours and patterns, enough so to see it was a temple of some sort. There was something else amongst the flames ahead, and it was more than just the statues lining the path. Millium squinted his eyes enough to make out a person silhouetted against the fire.

“Hello?” He shouted to whomever stood before him. His voice was hoarse and immediately consumed by the roaring of the flames. He dragged his body closer, the heat draining all his strength and made the short few steps feel like eternity. Eventually he was close enough to see it was a girl. She was facing away from him, her white hair swayed violently in the wind and heat. Her dress was singed, her gloves burnt and ripped, and her exposed legs scratched and bruised. Extending from her feet was a flickering shadow moving wildly in the light. What was odd about it was its shape. It...wasn’t human. Just was was this girl?

Millium gathered his strength in another attempt to get her attention but could only manage a weak and raspy yell, “Hello?” He wanted to say more, but in such heat it was all he could muster.

It seemed to have been enough. The girl slowly turned to look at him, her gold eyes locking with his own. She looked hurt; betrayed even. Millium tried to ask her what happened, but the words evaporated into the air. Somehow the girl seemed to understand his intention. She turned back around and looked up into the sky. Millium followed her gaze to see a large...dragon? That was impossible! Dragons had not been seen within living memory. But it couldn’t be anything else; its shape was unmistakable. He had read enough stories of the mythical creatures to know what they looked like.

The prince looked back down to attempt to ask again, but the girl had already collapsed and lay unconscious on the ground. He tried to move to her side, but his legs wouldn’t listen. His body was frozen and his heart thumped loudly in his chest as he was struck with fear. A shadow slowly crept over her form. Millium turned his gaze back upward, his eyes trailing up until he saw the shadow’s source. 

Looming ahead was a tall, hunched figure draped in a black cloak. Even the surrounding fire seemed to fear his presence as it parted to form a path of flame. His face was hidden by the shadow of a hood, though red eyes gleamed in the inferno’s light.

Millium sat upright with a startled yell. His forehead was drenched in sweat and he struggled to breathe. As reality returned and he became aware he was in his room, he attempted to slow his breathing to calm himself down. He pulled his sheets to his chest as he breathed slow and careful, the air duly burning his lungs. It took a few moments, but finally he felt his heart begin to beat at a normal pace. He sighed deeply before flopping back into his bed and resting his arm on his forehead.

He studied the ceiling as he tried to recount what had happened. It had been a long time since he had that nightmare. The nightmare of the burning town with the sad girl and her strange shadow. And those eyes, those glowing red eyes peering from beneath the cloak as black as night. Millium shuddered at the thought and attempted to push the image to the back of his mind. 

Not bothering to try to fall back asleep he sat back up again. After a moment to make sure his legs would be steady, Millium rose out of bed and sleepily stumbled to the window. With a quick jerk he tugged at the curtains to reveal the outside. He had greatly underestimated the hour. What he expected to see was the rising sun peeking behind the great snowy mountains to the east. What he was greeted with instead was the full sun hovering above the peaks, its unfiltered sunlight bathing the land, and his eyes, with morning light.

“Gah!” He stumbled back, tripped on a stray book, and landed on the bed with a backward somersault before finally stopping on the floor with a thud.

It took Millium a moment to realise he had fallen upside down. Again. 

“I seem to have the strangest talents…” He muttered as he untangled himself. He slowly looked over the edge of his bed and back to the window. The sunlight streamed through, causing him to squint. It wasn’t quite midday, but it certainly wasn’t early morning. Wendy must have informed the others of the hour he went to bed and had them leave him be. Usually he was able to wake up early on his own regardless, but apparently he had pushed himself too far yesterday. Millium sighed, “Well, so much for morning training…” He would just have to train twice as hard tomorrow. It wasn’t like it was the first time this had happened.

Millium readied himself for the day and left his room. With his regular morning schedule thrown off he needed to think of an alternative. Perhaps he should join his father in his daily duties? Hands on experience was always something he needed, and he greatly enjoyed observing his father’s interactions with the people. 

Having decided on his course of action, Millium headed for the throne room. He soon arrived at the door and made to open it, but stopped before he touched the brass handle. 

Just faintly through the door he could hear voices conversing with his father’s. Was that Master Zero? What was she doing here? Was he meant to meet her for training this morning?

He panicked slightly at the thought. Last time that he slept in she tried a new training method as punishment. Millium shuddered at the memory. 

He then just barely made out a third voice. Fiethsing? Perhaps he wasn’t in trouble after all. But why would his father have asked the two sages to talk? And without informing him no less. Would he be sent away if he walked in and asked to join the conversation? If he wasn’t informed of their arrival, that would likely be the case. Curiosity began to outweigh his reasoning as he found himself pressing his ear against the door.

“Regardless, I do wish to thank you for arriving so promptly.” His father began. Millium couldn’t help but notice his tone of voice. It sounded...sad. Worried even. 

“Of course my King. If you call we answer as soon as we can.” Zero paused, “Well, I will anyway.” Millium could almost see the glare she must have given Fiethsing. The elf was wise and powerful, but even he knew she was...well, not the most motivated, to put it lightly.

Grimm chuckled, “Yes, well, I do appreciate it.” The King paused a moment before continuing solemnly, “I have called you here regarding my sister, Lumia. She has...gone missing, as of recent.”

Millium flinched. Auntie Lumia was missing? He knew she was traveling the world, and while he had found it odd he hadn’t received a letter from her recently, for her to be missing...He now understood the worry in his father’s voice. Millium pressed his ear further into the door.

The King continued, “She has been traveling the land to find a way to restore Alice’s world. Alice left in pursuit of someone nearly thirty years ago, and I presume Lumia has gotten desperate in her search.” He sighed, “My sister has always been quite reckless, but now I fear it has gotten her into trouble. Her last letter stated she had found a strange magic stone, but I received that nearly two weeks ago.”

Without missing a beat, Zero responded calmly, “Where did the letter originate from?”

Millium couldn’t help but smile. Master Zero always managed to keep a cool, level head. It was one of the reasons he respected her so much and was glad she was at his father’s side whenever he needed help.

He heard the rustling of paper and figured his father had pulled out a map. Grimm’s voice muffled slightly, no doubt from looking down at the parchment, “From what we could tell, she sent her familiar from near the mountains, possibly around the Clair Glacier. She said she had met some shepherds on her journey, but that area has been unpopulated for as long as I can remember.”

“Understood,” Zero began, “Fiethsing and I will form a search party and head out immediately. I already have a couple people in mind. What about you Fiethsing?”

“Hmmm, strange magic stone, eh…” Fiethsing mumbled.

There was a pause before Zero spoke, “Do you know something about it?”

Millium listened intently. Fiethsing may have been intelligent and wise, but she rarely became so focused in her thoughts. Especially so openly. Perhaps she really did know something important. Or she had realised something no one else had, despite what little she knew, thanks to her power to see glimpses of the future.

“Well, if I had to guess…”She paused thoughtfully, “I would say Kaguya should be here any minute!”

Complete silence filled the room. Millium snorted as he tried desperately not to laugh. He shouldn’t have expected any less from the sage.

“Right…” Zero muttered. He could hear her annoyance, but Millium knew how close the two were. After the cthulhu had been defeated almost thirty years prior, the two had taken to raising the reincarnated moon princess, Kaguya. The girl had left to help Alice in another world just before he was born, but according to his father they had been a very close family. He could tell his master missed Kaguya dearly; he couldn’t imagine what she would do if anything happened to Fiethsing and their daughter.

Millium tried to listen closer. The three inside either began to whisper or stopped talking altogether. He was tempted open the door to try and sneak in, but stealth was never a strong suit of his.

“Millium, we know you’re there. Come in son, we need to talk.” His father’s voice sounded through the door.

The prince gasped and jumped back in surprise. He wasn’t very sneaky, but they knew? The whole time? Millium’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. He felt like he was a child again that just got caught for eavesdropping.

He cleared his throat and straightened his shoulders. He may have been caught, but he wouldn’t let that show. He was more mature than that!

Millium opened the door with faux confidence and held the straightest face he could muster, “Y-yes father?” Perfect.

Grimm chuckled and gestured for his son to enter, “It’s alright, you’re not in trouble. Quite the opposite actually.”

The prince walked into the room by the throne where his father sat. He looked to Zero and Fiethsing and gave them a smiling greeting. Zero returned it with a nod and Fiethsing gave an enthusiastic wave. He then looked back to Grimm, “Um, did you require me for something, father?”

Again Grimm smiled, obviously seeing through his son’s attempt to keep himself composed after being caught. His face then hardened slightly, “Yes, actually. I’m sure you heard about what’s happened with your aunt and how I’m entrusting Zero and Fiethsing to retrieve her. As much as I want to join them, I cannot up and leave the kingdom.” Grimm looked to Zero who nodded in agreement. He continued, “As such, we think it would be wise to send you with them. Zero suggested it, and I agree. I’m...not sure how your mother will feel about it,” The King visibly tensed nervously at the thought of his protective wife, “but I believe you’re old enough, and skilled enough, to venture outside the city.”

Millium stood before his father dumbfounded. Ever since he was old enough to hold a blade he had been training for a day like this. He often dreamed of going on an adventure like his mother and father had, but he had since passed the age they had done so. As of recent he had been pushing his limits solely to become a strong King, his dreams of leaving the city becoming nothing more than that. Now that his father gave him such an offer out of nowhere, he found he didn’t know what to say.

He finally snapped out of his daze enough to respond, “Oh, yes, yes of course! I would be proud to go in your place on such a quest!” He brought his fist to his chest in a salute, but brought it up too fast and winced as he instead punched himself. 

“It will be a good test of your skill as well,” Zero added. Millium looked to his master with a nod of approval. He only hoped she couldn’t see how hard he was trying to hide his excitement. 

“Indeed, but that doesn’t mean you can be reckless and act on your own. Listen to everything Zero and Fiethsing tell you.” Millium looked back to see his father held a stern face. It wasn’t often he saw him look so serious and he understood now how dangerous it could be.

Millium nodded in understanding, “Okay father, I’ll be careful.”

Grimm smiled in response before turning his attention back to the two sages, “I’m trusting you two to bring my son home safe.” 

“You needn’t worry your majesty. We’ll return Millium and Lady Lumia home without harm.” The woman looked to Fiethsing with a raised eyebrow, “Right, Fieth?”

The elf looked over to the dark haired woman with a slightly oblivious smile, as if she had tuned out of the entire conversation, “Hm?” She blinked in realisation, “Oh, yeah, right! Totally safe and sound, no problem~”

Zero sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance, “Honestly…”

Before either could say more the growing sound of arguing filled the hall. The four crept over to the top of the grand staircase to investigate. Down at the bottom of the stairs was a group of three girls and a wolf; two of them were in the midst of an argument while the third watched nervously. Zero groaned in annoyance while Fiethsing giggled in amusement. Millium looked to the sages and smirked. He couldn’t help but wonder if one of them were Kaguya, judging by their rather motherly reactions.

He felt a gentle tap on his shoulder and turned to find his father. His expression was one of worry, but a different kind of worry than the one he held moments before. Millium looked around his father to see his mother standing behind him. He suddenly understood and swallowed hard. The boy wanted to join the journey more than anything, but if his mother disagreed...

Grimm and Millium walked over to the woman. The older man smiled nervously, “Pandora, honey, I-”

But Pandora raised a hand to stop him mid-sentence. She held no harsh expression, but rather looked at her husband and child warmly, “It’s alright, I understand. All children must leave home eventually, and the prince cannot be an exception,” she twitched and finished quietly, “as hard as that might be…” The Queen walked over to her son. As she got closer Millium saw she was holding a small, golden box. Pandora gently took Millium’s hands and placed said box within them, closing his fingers around it, “I want you to take this with you. It will give you hope, when all hope seems lost. I’ll be praying for your return, my sweet boy.” At that, she leaned in and placed a light kiss on his forehead.

Behind him Millium heard a muffled snicker. He quickly turned behind him to see Fiethsing grinning and looking like she just saw the cutest thing. His cheeks turned bright red in embarrassment as he turned back, “T-thank you mother.” He tried lowering the pitch of his voice, only to wince as it cracked from flustered panic. 

Without allowing anyone to say more he quickly rushed off to gather his things. It wasn’t that he was ashamed, but he would rather not start his first adventure with everyone looking at him like an adorable child. 

He quickly reached his room and scanned the area for what could be useful for an adventure. First he decided to change his clothes, something that he could easily move around in, but with a few layers to keep himself somewhat warm. A good adventurer always had a cool cloak and belt to keep his things safe and hidden, and so he grabbed those as well. Finally all that was left was his tome of spells, a wand with a light magic stone, and his weapon. He always admired the sword; it had been a gift from Master Zero after he became skilled enough to keep up with her. At first glance it was nothing more than a fancy looking golden hilt. However, a magic stone was held firmly in its center and was surrounded by inscriptions. When the user focused their will into the stone, it would form a blade of pure magic. Fiethsing had given him a rare history lesson once before, telling him it was based on an old technology. He had found that story extraordinary fascinating. 

After gathering his necessities Millium ran out of his room and back to the throne room. By the time he made it back, Fiethsing and Zero had joined the girls at the bottom of the stairs. His parents had likely gone to begin their daily duties as they were no longer present. No matter, he would return to them with his quest complete and his head held high. He made his way down the stairs, being careful to go fast but without tripping. He had to make a good first impression after all.

Zero turned to see him arrive, “Ah good, you’re here.” She turned to the girls, her voice suddenly becoming strict, “Alright you two, behave yourselves!” Millium tried not to snicker as two of the three girls grimaced at the woman’s command. “Now,” she continued, “go on and introduce yourselves to the prince.”

The three looked at each other, seemingly unsure, before one of them stepped forward. The girl was the shortest of the three with long purple hair and pale green eyes. She wore a rather extravagant kimono-type outfit with multiple layers and colours. She spoke with a proud voice and jabbed her thumb into her chest, “My name is Kaguya, the moonlit saviour and hero of justice!” Millium couldn’t help but smile. So this was the Kaguya he heard stories about. Not what he was expecting, that’s for sure. Rather young as well...

“Um,” The next girl, a short blonde with an ornate blue dress and hat, shuffled nervously as she spoke, “My name is Charlotte. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Her voice came out soft and quite, her introduction followed by a curt bow. Millium returned the gesture and was impressed by her mannerisms. 

He looked to the last girl, the one with the wolf. The girl was tall, a good few inches taller than him at least. She had long white hair and wore rather revealing clothing that showed off her confidence. Her face held a fanged, knowing smirk. Millium couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable under her gaze. Her presence felt strange, like she knew something that no one else did. There was something else, something he couldn’t quite place. It was a weird, tugging, sensation. As if something was calling out to him. He swore he even heard strange whispers…

“The name’s Lunya, but I’m sure you’ve heard of me from Lumia.” The girl stated suddenly, snapping him from his trance. It took him a moment to register what she had said.

“Wait,” he frowned, “you know auntie Lumia?”

She looked at him with an exaggerated hurt expression, “What? You mean she never talks about me?” She playfully pouted and crossed her arms, “My my, how rude!”

Zero groaned at her behaviour, “Oh please, enough out of you. We need to get moving.”  
Lunya grinned at the sage and winked, “Awe, you shouldn’t be so mean to your guide. Besides,” she reached into her satchel, “I have something to share before we head out.”

As she finished, the girl brought out her hand. Held delicately between her fingers was a red magic stone. Millium couldn’t help but stare at it. Something about it was odd. Was this the source of the tugging he had felt?

Zero looked at the stone thoughtfully and place her hand near it. She held it there for a moment in deep focus before pulling away, “What’s so special about it? I can’t even feel any magic radiating off it.”

Kaguya frowned at the stone as she brought her face comically close to its surface, “Yeah same, looks like a total dud to me.”

Lunya swiftly pulled it away from the small girl and wagged a teasing finger, “Well yeah, because it’s not for any of you.” Her attention turned to Millium, causing him to flinch. She took a few steps forward and held the stone out towards him, “I was told this was for you specifically, no lie.”

Millium looked to the girl and her smug grin, then down to the stone. Master Zero had said herself that the stone was barren of any magic. She had been around for longer than any living human; her knowledge of magic and stones were quite grand as a result. So why did Millium feel that she was wrong. The stone was certainly not void of magic. He could feel it without even touching it. It felt like it was pulling him towards it. Calling him. He rose a cautious hand, hesitating before his fingers brushed its surface. All at once he felt a rush of magic surge through him. 

Using magic always felt exhilarating and tingly, but this sensation was very different. It was extraordinarily strong and overflowing, almost unbearably so. It felt as if he were standing before a large and powerful creature. His heart began to race as he was instantly reminded of the monster from his dream; the feeling of raw power threatened to consume him.

“Millium!” Zero’s stern voice snapped him back to reality. His hand recoiled, and the magic instantly returned to the stone, causing him to stagger. He released an unsteady breath after realising he hadn’t been breathing and his head felt fuzzy as a result. His eyes finally left the stone and he realised everyone was staring at him. Millium backed away slightly, now nervous under their gaze. Did they feel what he felt? He had never felt such power all at once before and he couldn’t help but shuffle nervously under their eyes.

“That’s,” everyone shifted their focus to the young blonde. The girl was practically shaking in her boots as she spoke, “That’s the same power that destroyed my world...the same as Lapis…”

Kaguya visibly cringed at the mention of the name. Just seconds ago she was loud and animated. Now she stood rigid, fists clenched and eyes focused hard on the red carpet. Everyone was stern and silent, except Lunya.

Fiethsing brought a hand to her chin thoughtfully, “Interesting how it only reacts to Millium. That power feels quite old as well…”

Lunya chuckled whilst still holding out the stone, “Well to be honest, even I didn’t think it would react like that. Heheh, no lie.”

“I’ll hold on to that,” Zero swiftly snatch the stone and slipped it into her back satchel, “we can learn more about it later.”

Fiethsing nodded in wordless agreement, seemingly lost in thought over the strange stone.

“So!” Lunya chirped, “Are we leavin’ or what?”

The others agreed, though less enthusiastically. The atmosphere was heavy as the group left the palace. Millium strayed behind slightly, preferring to be alone in the back. The sensation that stone gave him, the comparison to someone obviously evil; it was a lot to take in before his journey even began. He was nervous enough to begin with, and now with that weighing on his mind, he began to be unsure whether he would be helpful, or a burden. 

They walked down the path through the courtyard, then made their way through the city. Millium decided to try distracting himself by looking at his surroundings. They were typical things that he saw nearly every day, but now that he was leaving, it felt different. The shops and houses almost felt unfamiliar, the people walking the streets seeming like strangers. He knew the feeling was false, but his nerves were getting the better of him. The feeling of such power, the strange voices, he just couldn’t shake off those thoughts.

Millium caught himself as he was about to step outside the front gate. The castle walls loomed overhead and cast an intimidating shadow. He had come to the border on occasion, but this was the first time we would be stepping out to the other side. He dreamed of this moment for as long as he could remember. Dreamed of leaving and going on his own journey. Here he was, the starting line was right in front of him. He just had to take the first step.

“Millium, are you alright?” The prince looked forward to see Zero standing before him in the gate’s entrance. She looked concerned, likely having noticed how nervous he was.

Millium clenched his fists. He was letting his emotions get in the way. He had been chosen to travel the land, his kingdom, to rescue his aunt. It was a mission given and entrusted to him by his own father and master. He wasn’t about to let some strange stone mess it up for him.

He stood straight and held his head high as he nodded with determination, “I’m alright, let’s go.” With that, he stepped forward, past the cobblestone and onto the dirt path leading to outside. Dense trees lined the sides of the road with the peaks of the snowy mountains just visible over their tops. He narrowed his eyes, focusing himself on the destination ahead.

This was the start of his journey, and he was certain he was going to make it count.


	2. Dark Commander of Ice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only changes I made was actually finishing the Mercurius fight and rescuing Lumia on screen. The next chapter will be completely like this as the next part was done entirely off screen.

They hadn’t been walking very long, but already the surroundings were very different. The castle was shrinking into the distance, the tips of the palace visible above the trees tops. The air smelled of nature; scents of leaves and flowers mingling together on the wind. It was similar to the garden room, but the wide expanse of the outdoors and gentle breeze gave it a far more pleasant feeling. However, Millium was not focused on such things. His mind wandered as he and the group trekked down the dirt road. He could hear the others talking amongst themselves, and probably should have tried conversing with them, but just couldn’t break from his thoughts. The sensation he had felt from the stone still lingered within him. Even with Zero holding it he could still feel its presence. He wished he could discuss more about it, but knew that would be a lost cause. No one seemed to know about it, not even Fiethsing.

“Millium, Charlotte and I will continue with you to save Lady Lumia,” Zero mentioning his name brought him back into focus as his master spoke to Lunya, “Fiethsing and Kaguya have to take care of matters elsewhere.”

Lunya shrugged and brought her hands behind her head, “Splittin’ off already, eh? No matter, not my problem.”

“Um,” Charlotte began timidly, “I doubt we could stop Fiethsing from going off on her own. She’s free like the wind. We still have four. That should be enough, especially with a guide…” Her voice trailed off. She was obviously trying to be more confident with how she spoke. Millium couldn’t help but commend her efforts; she reminded him a bit of himself when he was younger and couldn’t help but wonder what her story was.

“Yes, a guide.” Zero eyed Lunya suspiciously as she spoke. 

Lunya noticed her gaze and grinned, “What? I’m not suspicious in the slightest! 

The sage narrowed her eyes, “You constantly ensuring everyone you’re not suspicious is the exact reason you _are_ suspicious.”

Lunya simply shrugged in response and continued walking.

Millium had to wonder what her relationship with his aunt was. Anytime she was home Lumia would tell him stories of her adventures, yet in all these years not once did she mention a wolf girl named Lunya. If they were friends, surely Lunya would have come up in one of Lumia’s stories, wouldn’t she? His father didn’t seem to have had a problem seeing her back at the palace, so she couldn’t be bad… Still, it didn’t stop her from giving off a strange aura. Something about her just felt off. It seemed like Kaguya would agree. Now that he was paying attention, Millium noticed Kaguya pulling Charlotte away every time the girl approached Lunya. It seemed Charlotte wanted to get to know the others more, but Kaguya didn’t approve.

As he finished the thought, Kaguya brought Charlotte back to the rear of the group where Millium had been keeping pace. She gestured to him, “Why not talk with him? He’s all royal and stuff too. Right, uhh,” she paused as she looked up to him with a frowned, “what’s your name again?”

“Kaguya don’t be rude to the prince!” Zero must’ve overheard her daughter and shot a glare over her shoulder.

Millium rose a hand and chuckled, “Ah, it’s alright.” He turned his attention back to the two girls with a smile, “I apologize, I’ve been keeping to myself. My name’s Millium, it’s a pleasure to meet you two.”

Charlotte returned a shy smile, “It’s nice to meet you too, Prince Millium.”

The prince waved a dismissive hand, “Oh no, please, just Millium is fine.”

“Oh, well, um, hello...Millium…” Her voice trailed off as she her cheeks flushed.

Millium tried to think of a response, but came to a blank. He wasn’t shy, but she was obviously nervous around new people, and he didn’t know what to say to help. “Um, so you’re royalty too?” He desperately tried to start a conversation before the silence grew too awkward.

She nodded softly, “Yes, I was a princess...before my world was destroyed...” 

Millium flinched, mentally kicking himself. _Well, that was counterproductive…_

Kaguya’s eyes darted between them, “You two really don’t get out much, do you?”

Both of them sighed at her remark. Millium had been told that far too many times by his aunt and fairy tale friends. Charlotte looked as if she were about to explain before she was interrupted. 

“The road forks ahead, which way do we go?” Zero asked.

Lunya looked as if the question had snapped her out of deep thought. She looked between the two paths before flicking her wrist towards the right, “Ah, this way! No lie, heheh.” 

Charlotte didn’t seem to want to continue her thought, instead remaining quiet as the group continued on. Millium began to grow worried his question brought up painful memories. Perhaps he could make up for it later, back at the palace town…

The group became silent once more as a chill blew through the air. They followed the path leading them to the snowy mountains known as the Clair Glacier. Millium had studied the area before; apparently in ancient times it was said to be the hottest place in the land and home to a now extinct race of people who ate fire. Now it was covered in snow with its peak completely consumed in ice. The phenomenon had never been explained. Whatever the cause was had been lost to history, as had any information on whatever race had lived in the mountains.

“So,” Zero began, once again cutting through the silence, “what exactly is your relationship with Lady Lumia?” 

Millium found himself quickening his pace slightly in order to listen in. He was most certainly not eavesdropping...again.

Lunya smirked, “It’s a long story, so don’t blame me if you get bored. Truth is we’re actually long lost sisters.” _Sisters?_ “I was born with a terrible illness that turns me into a wolf at night, so I was aband-” She suddenly cut herself off, as if catching herself on how absurd the story was. Millium had to admit her explanation sounded extremely odd, but if his aunt and father were okay with her, perhaps…

He noticed Lunya begin to shift uncomfortably under Zero’s hardened gaze and decided to intervene, “I see, well so long as you can guide us to where we need to go, I suppose it doesn’t matter. We’re counting on you!” He gave her a reassuring smile, something akin to what his father does when trying to be encouraging.

The girl looked back and grinned, “Of course! Everything is fine, heheh.” It was obvious she was forcing her positivity as she turned back and continued her lead. A cold breeze caused the temperature to drop, bringing with it a gentle snow. In spite of the change in weather the group moved onward to the mountain.

\---

They continued in silence until another fork in the road, one where Fiethsing and Kaguya went their separate ways. The group of four continued their trek north. As the mountain drew closer, the temperature steadily dropped. Millium could see his breath before him as he hugged his arms in an attempt to keep warm. They had come across a pair of shepherds that, at his request, provided warm fur coats for everyone. They were the two that had seen Lumia a couple weeks ago, and were also concerned when she had not returned down the mountain. Apparently they had attempted to hike up and check themselves, but a large shadow had kept them away out of fear. Even with the warm furs, the wind harshly bit their exposed skin. Snow and ice chips were carried into the air, pelting their flesh. Lunya had called forth some of her wolf companions when the snow got too deep, but that did nothing against the weather.

Millium had come to notice something odd about it. The winds seemed to follow them precisely, constantly blowing into their faces no matter what twists and turns they took. While the snow naturally reflected light, the flakes here almost seemed to shimmer like magic. Even the cold was abnormally chilly, so much so it hurt to breathe. Something was wrong. “Master,” he began, his voiced strained with cold, “this weather…”

“I know.” Zero responded immediately, sounding almost unaffected. 

“It’s some kind of magic, isn’t it.” Charlotte chimed in, also sounding to be in a better state than he. 

Just how magically powerful were these two, to not be affected? Lunya was clearly as cold as he was. She was shivering violently atop her wolf, her teeth chattering as she remained silent, likely too cold to speak.

As they continued their hike atop the wolves, they reached a portion of the path with overarching stones shaped like a cat's claws. In the distance through the billowing snow Millium spotted a large shadow. It seemed to be shifting closer, every motion followed by a loud crash.

“What is that thing?” he called out. As it drew closer it’s body gleamed in the light.

“It’ll be really bad if we’re caught by that thing!” Lunya yelled from nearby.

The structure finally came into view. It was nothing like Millium had ever seen. It’s body was certainly metallic and easily three times their height. Its large form trudged through the snow banks with ease. Every step shook the earth, the snow not bothering it at all. It’s eyes glowed a piercing blue and contained no signs of life.

“It seems it’s already spotted us,” Zero jumped off her wolf, the snow crunching on impact and reaching her knees, “I’ll handle this.” As she spoke she unclipped a sword hilt from her hip. As she brought it forward, a shining blue blade ignited in a bright spark. In what seemed like an instant, Zero sped forward, a cloud of snow kicking up in her wake. She got behind the creature in a second, her blade easily cleaving it in half like a hot knife to butter. Before she could even touch the ground a blue bolt shot out from behind a rise in the surrounding stone. It hit Zero’s wrists and encased them in a strange ice. “Damn!” She spat through clenched teeth.

“Master!” 

“Miss Zero!”

Millium and Charlotte jumped off their wolves as they cried out. They could both sense that the magic in the ice was not ordinary. 

“Be quiet and stay down!” Zero yelled back, her voice strained from pain. Her sword had retracted; it seemed the ice was a kind of magic restraint. Even from a distance Millium could sense her magic flow had greatly decreased. His eyes scanned the area as he and the others tried to stay low and out of sight. He was growing fearful for his master’s safety as another magic entity entered the fray.

“Heheh, well lookit that! We caught some little rats snooping where they don’t have business. Eh, Mercurius?” A strange, small creature flew up over the three in hiding, revealing their location. It was a red imp adorned in blue robes and emitting a strange magic. The power reminded Millium of something…

The creature flew back a ways towards a figure walking through the distant snow. It was a woman, her long blue hair flowing in the wind. Her clothing was minimal, but she didn’t appear cold in the slightest and walked through the snow like it was nothing. “So you’ve come. You must be eager to die.” She spoke through a mask, her voice clear and tone as cold as the wind and ice. Millium concluded the magic was her doing. The woman, Mercurius, looked up to her small companion, “Come, Astaroth.”

“You got it boss!” It chirped as it lowered itself to float beside her, “Just, uh, don’t use too much of my power, yeah?”

“Shut up, Astaroth.”

“You got it boss!” 

With a red flash the creature dissipated into a burst of light. Its form surged out and into the staff gripped in Mercurius’ fist. In an instant the surrounding temperature dropped further, chilling the group to the bone. Millium instinctively gripped his coat in an attempt to keep warm. He could see Charlotte doing the same next to him, finally feeling the biting cold.

Zero dropped near them, having leapt away when they were distracted by the demon. The ice shackles were gone, but Zero’s wrists were visibly raw and bloody. Her face showed no evidence of pain, but rather pure determination. The enemy before them was powerful, and Zero was smart enough to recognize when a tough battle was ahead. She muttered a quick healing chant as her wounds began to close.

“Looks like we found who kidnapped Lumia,” Zero began, her voice calming as the blood disappeared, “Be careful, her magic is strange.” 

Millium noticed her glance his way as she spoke. Obviously she had noticed too; Mercurius’ magic was eerily similar to the stone in Zero’s pouch. That thought, that realisation, scared him more than he was willing to admit. 

Zero must have picked up on his unease. She spoke firmly as her gaze shifted back to the enemy, “Millium, Charlotte, stay focused on the fight.”

At the mention of her name, Millium glanced over to Charlotte. She was powerful, yes, but she was just as frightened as he, if not more. Judging from her appearance alone, she likely hadn’t been in many fights, if any at all. Neither had he, but he had been trained since he was young, and sparring with Zero had helped him prepare for combat. Now wasn’t the time to be afraid.

“Y-yes!” Charlotte seemed to share the sentiment. Her voice still shook, but she seemed to try and find her own determination. She brought her hands forward, and with a watery blue light she summoned a staff. 

“Yes, master!” Millium chimed in, sharing her newfound determination. He unclipped the book hanging from his hip as he grabbed for his wand, a light magic stone secured at the tip. He was far more proficient with his blade, but he lacked the level of mobility of his master. With such heavy snow and cold, he was better off relying on his magic to help support his comrades.

Mercurius raised her staff in the air, the wind and snow swirling around her. The group waited in anticipation for her to chant a spell, but she said nothing of the sort. 

“Die.” 

In an instant, dozens of ice spears formed in the sky and began to fall like rain. The group was caught off guard by the instantaneous magic. Never before had they seen such magic be so powerful, so fast, and cast without a chant or focus.

Lunya was the first to respond to the attack. She rose her hands, and with a quick spell a chain of lighting shot forth and destroyed the oncoming ice. “I can’t hit them all!” She yelled desperately. 

“It’s okay, stay close to me!” It was Charlotte who acted next. Channeling her magic through her staff, a powerful barrier formed around the four. It protected them, but with cracks already forming, it wouldn’t last long. 

Millium channeled his own magic. He couldn’t do much to protect them all, but he could at least strengthen Charlotte. Her body faintly glowed gold as his magic aided her, allowing her to more easily cast her spell. He glanced over to see his master. She hadn’t attempted her own magic. Her eyes darted around, looking for any opening that would allow her to get through safely to end the onslaught quickly. That’s when Millium noticed Lunya. She had stopped her lighting attack after the barrier was cast, but unlike Zero she wasn’t looking forward. Instead, she was looking up, seemingly in a trance. He followed her gaze, and his eyes widened in shock at what he saw. Something new had formed in the sky; something he had only read about but never seen. His father told him stories of when he had seen it thirty years ago, but it was different than he had described.

A moon hung above them, casting a silver light that pierced the billowing snow. It was calming and mystical, just like in the stories he had read. But where did it come from?

His train of thought was broken as he was reminded they were still in combat. An icy spear had broken through the barrier and headed straight for Lunya. 

“Lunya, look out!” 

She didn’t respond. Instead a smile crept upon her lips, one that turned into a fanged grin as she rose her hand. A strange, otherworldly sensation filled the air as the girl was consumed in a crimson aura. The surrounding magic shot forth like a tendril, batting away the oncoming spear and those surrounding it, cutting off the enemy’s attack. 

Through her grin she spoke, her voice changing as she did, sounding less mischievous and more sinister, “Lumia, I’ll save you right away. Heheh, it’s no lie.” Her form began to shift and contort. Her silvery hair dyed red like blood and formed two braids. A red cloaked appeared from nowhere and draped her shoulders as the rest of her clothing become a red and white dress. Millium was taken aback as he realised her attire was similar to Red Riding Hood. Her wolf ears and tail, as well as her yellow on black eyes proved she was anything but.

“That form, it can’t be…” Zero breathed, her voiced choked by fear as she watched the girl transform before her eyes. Millium tensed; if Zero was frightened, then it could only mean one thing.

“W-what’s happening to miss Lunya?” Charlotte asked, no longer focusing on her magic.

“Father told me stories about her,” Millium began as his fists clenched, “that’s the Cthulhu that threatened our world thirty years ago; Nyarlathotep.” 

The girl in red grinned further as he spoke her name. She seemed to take pleasure in having him and Zero hold such fear simply from her name being uttered. But she didn’t seem interested in bringing them harm. Her gaze remained focused on Mercurius as the woman seemed to be preparing another attack.

“Well now, that just won’t do,” Nyarlathotep spoke smugly as she rose a hand, “I’m gonna have to put a stop to your weird magic, okay? No lie.” She snapped her fingers as more ice rushed to their target. The red girl didn’t flinch or tense in fear. Again her crimson aura waved off the magic, as if swatting away a fly. Behind her a tear opened and through it small creatures emerged. They flew out, giggling madly and gnashed at the magic. The group watched in horror at the sight.

Mercurius seemed to recognize something was amiss. The creatures charged at her, trying to bite and tear the woman apart. She was nimble, and her quick magic aided her in her defense. Only a few managed to break through and deal damage with tiny bites and scratches. While she was focused on the creatures she failed to notice another attacker. Zero had taken advantage of the situation and finally found her opening. With her azure blade she slashed at Mercurius’ hand that held her staff. Her grip faltered and her weapon was flung across the clearing. With the woman now defenseless, Zero twisted her body and landed a solid kick to her abdomen. Like with Charlotte, Millium had used his magic to strengthen her body, allowing her attack to be twice as effective. The the force of the impact sent Mercurius flying back, crashing into a stone pillar. The rock cracked and shook, knocking off the heavy snow and loose ice as it fell to the ground with a crash.

“Boss!” The demon had changed from its stone form and rushed over to the pile of snow and rubble. It frantically dug through the wreckage as it searched for its master. Eventually it located her hand, and with all its might pulled her out. She was alive, but unconscious. It turned back and looked at the group as it angrily pointed a little finger at them, “You’ll all pay for this, y’hear! The Boss isn’t the only one you should fear; you haven’t heard the last of the Luminaries!” And in a final flash, the pair disappeared. 

Slowly the falling snow came to a halt and the gusting winds stilled. A calm befell the area as the group was finally able to catch their breath. Millium exhaled and breathed deeply, grateful the air no longer stung his lungs. 

“Ah, miss Lunya!” Charlotte cried out.

Millium looked over to see Nyarlathotep had returned to her silver haired, human form, and collapsed into the snow. The moon had also disappeared, and he couldn’t help but wonder if the two were connected. Now wasn’t the time to think about that, however. With the weather having calmed and the battle finished, it was time to find what they came here for. The mysteries behind Lunya could wait. 

He trudged forward through the deep snow toward where Mercurius had come from. She seemed to have been a calculated individual that relied on defensive magic. It was very likely Lumia would have been guarded by Mercurius herself. Just as he had thought, Lumia was indeed just a short ways away. She seemed to be frozen within a casket of ice, her body completely still. 

“Auntie!” Millium called out as he awkwardly ran through the banks. As he got closer he could see the ice was wet and cracked. It must have been a powerful spell to contain someone like Lumia, and if that were the case it likely would have needed a constant magic supply from her captor. Now with Mercurius gone, it began to melt in the sunlight. As he reached her side, the ice loudy cracked before shattering completely. “Ah!” Millium was caught by surprise as Lumia fell. He caught her regardless and gently guided her to the ground. She was unconscious, but breathing and physically unharmed. Millium sighed with a smile, “We’ve got you, auntie.”

“Well, that’s one mystery resolved.” 

Millium turned to see Zero walking towards him. Charlotte paced beside her with an unconscious Lunya laying on a wolf’s back. Zero knelt down beside Millium and rested her hand on Lumia’s face. Her hand glowed softly as she muttered a quiet chant. After a moment she, too, smiled, “Good, she seems unharmed. All she needs is some rest to recover from being frozen for so long. We’ll do that back at the Light Palace,” her gaze hardened, “as well as try and figure out what’s going on.”

Millium nodded in agreement. They had rescued Lumia as they had set out to do, but there were too many unanswered questions. If anything, their journey had only brought about more. They needed to figure out who the Luminaries were, why they captured Lumia, and what their end goal was. With Zero’s help they placed Lumia’s unconscious form atop one of Lunya’s wolves. For now, the import thing was to get everyone back safe. It was a long trek back; they only hoped they would not encounter more trouble along the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The moon appearing/disappearing won't be covered in this rendition. If you are someone who hasn't read the original lore, this world doesn't have a moon. The moon appeared when Kaguya summoned during a fight somewhere else, and Millium and the others were able to see it from where they were. If you would like to read that fight, see here: http://www.fowtcg.com/story/cfc_fiethsings_premonition


	3. Fortune Teller of the Fire Star

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter isn't based on an existing chapter as everything here happened off screen and wasn't detailed. I tried to write it so it made sense with Millium suddenly using the stone he got. I also had to come up with Mars' personality and such.

The journey down the mountain proved to be far easier than going up. The harsh winds had ceased and the sun warmed the air as it peeked behind the clouds. The fallen snow was crisp and crunchy under their feet. It sparkled in the sunlight and decorated the surrounding trees. Without the blistering cold and heavy snowfall, the group could finally admire just how beautiful the area was. With their guide asleep on her wolf, Zero led them back the way they had come. Lunya’s wolf kept pace with the mage while Millium, Charlotte, and Lumia trailed behind. Lumia was also unconscious atop a wolf. They were a fair distance away from the mountains; a few more hours of walking and they would arrive back at the palace in time for sunset.

“Master, can I ask you something?” Millium inquired, breaking the long lingering silence.

“What is it?” She responded without turning her gaze from looking straight ahead.

“Well,” he began, “I was wondering where that moon had come from. I’ve never seen one before!” His tone shifted to that of wonder. With the threat of battle gone, he finally found himself rather excited to have witnessed such a marvel.

“The moon was likely from Kaguya. She’s still technically the moon priestess and draws power from it whenever she summons it. It’s likely that she and Fieth got into a battle. Honestly, I can’t turn away from those two for a second…” Zero began to mumble the end, obviously irritated. She seemed rather confident that they were alright, despite having mentioned their involvement in a fight. Perhaps Fiethsing had warned her that could happen.

“I see, that’s quite an interesting magic,” Millium pondered, his hand raising to his chin thoughtfully, “To be able to summon something so large in order to draw power, that’s quite amazing.”

“So does that mean your world doesn’t have a moon?” Charlotte questioned.

Millium shook his head, “No, we’ve only ever had a moon appear twice in recorded history. Once when the Cthulhu were defeated a hundred years ago, and again just thirty years ago when the Cthulhu returned, only that time it was coloured crimson. It’s been theorized that our world doesn’t need a moon because of its strong natural magic flow. See, ancient studies show that a moon is needed to create a balance in the-

Zero cleared her throat loudly, causing Millium to blush and cut his story short, “Ah, sorry.”

Charlotte giggled, “It’s okay, pri-ah, Millium. I thought it was interesting. My world didn’t have a moon either.”

Millium looked to her curiously, “Oh, really? I guess that makes sense. Judging by your level of magic your world must have been powerful as well.”

The girl shuffled her hands nervously, “Yes, I suppose. My brother gave me this power...I think. I was sick in bed most of my life, but one day I woke up feeling much stronger. I only vaguely remember my brother speaking to me. After that I left to help miss Alice…” She trailed off for a moment before her head perked in realisation, “Ah! I have seen a moon before!”

“Wait, really?” 

“Yes! It was when, ah,” she shrunk back again and her voice grew timid, “when we fought against Lapis…Like Kaguya, he summoned a moon with his power, except his was pitch black. If it had been nighttime, it probably would have been invisible.”

“Hm, an invisible moon…” 

“Quiet, you two.” Zero intervened. The two looked to see her alerted with a hand on her sword hilt. Immediately the two fell silent and ready. Charlotte gripped her staff while Millium mimicked his master.

The trio looked around their surroundings. Indeed something was off. Like with Mercurius, the air tinged with magic. Millium had thought it felt hot after being so cold, but now it was becoming apparent the heat was unnatural.

“Hey hey, lookit that Mars. It’sa bunch of saps lookin’ for a beating!” A high pitch voice teased.

“Heh, you’re right Namblot. Guess the ice queen’s plan wasn’t as solid as she thought.” Another voice responded playfully. 

Zero gritted her teeth, her eyes darting around frantically, “Show yourself!”

Down the path from the trees emerged a young man in a black and red cloak and tunic. Near his shoulder floated a small demon, similar to Mercurius’. It too was small with red skin, but it’s outfit was less regal and far more casual, oddly consisting of overalls, a vest, and a bowtie. 

“Well, that’s an interesting looking duo…” Zero muttered under her breath. She wasn’t wrong either. The ice mage had a far more intimidating air about her; she had been cold and ruthless with her ice. The mage who stood before them was far more relaxed and grinning with overconfidence.

The one in question reached into his cloak with a smirk, “You really shouldn’t underestimate us, right Namblot!” As he finished he whipped out what appeared to be a stringless bow and held it above his head.

“Darn right!” The demon responded. Like Astaroth before, it too dissipated into red light and merged with Mars’ weapon.

“Dammit, not again!” Zero summoned her blade and charged forward to intercept.

Mars lept backwards to gain distance as he grinned, “You don’t measure up to the power of mana. I’ll show you true fire!” Without uttering a chant, a great blaze shot forth from his weapon. 

With no other choice, Zero jumped back to avoid the attack. She returned to Millium and Charlotte and spoke without her gaze leaving Mars, “I want you two to stay back here and protect Lumia, alright?”

“And Lunya?” Charlotte asked nervously.

Zero paused for a moment before responding with a quick, “Sure, that too.” 

She bolted forward in an attempt to get close, but Mars was ready. Zero may have been fast, but Mars’ magic was almost instantaneous. His attacks were quick, explosive, and too large for Zero to counter. If she got too close, he rose an explosive wall of flame, forcing her to jump away from the intense heat. All the while Mars laughed and grinned at her efforts. He was just playing with her. 

Suddenly the attacks ceased. It would have been the perfect opportunity for Zero to strike, but she knew it was most certainly a trap.

Mars yawned, “Ah, man I’m beat. Darn, I’m too tired to fire any more magic.” He shrugged nonchalantly, “Guess I couldn’t pack enough heat to finish ya off. C’mon, I give.”

Zero grit her teeth in irritation, “What kind of fool do you take me for?”

He smirked, “Quite the fool, actually. I mean, you let me just sit here and charge up a real spell. Here’s an invitation to disaster!”

Zero flinched as the sudden burst of fire charged towards her. It was definitely much stronger, and far larger, than any of the others. She could feel the intense blaze even before it reached her with the suffocating heat weakening her too much to dodge.

“Master!”

“Miss Zero!”

The two cried out for her from the sidelines. They had been defending their comrades with their barriers from a distance. Neither were able to do a thing as they watched the mage be consumed by the fire. It made impact with the ground, the explosive force sending out a gust of hot air and smoke. Millium and Charlotte watched in horror, frantically looking for movement within the black cloud.

Mars burst out laughing, “Hah! Not such a big shot when you've been reduced the ash, eh?”

“I wouldn't be so sure.”

“Wait, what?” Mars snapped from his confident cackling at the sound of another voice.

It came from behind Millium and Charlotte and their hearts skipped a beat. The voice definitely didn't belong to Zero, but at the same time it didn't sound like a threat. The two looked behind them to see, quite literally, a knight in shining armour. They were adorned in white plate with gold trimmings, a blue cape draped from their shoulders. A full helm concealed their face and muffled their voice, but even still they spoke with a strong, clear tone. At first Millium thought they may be of the palace guard, but their armour lacked the proper crest, and the sword in their hilt was like no sword Millium had ever seen.

Zero laid in the knight’s arms slightly flush, “Ah, thank you, um…”

“Glorius.” They responded, “I'm here to assist you.”

“Right.” Zero's tone gave away her suspicions, “I don't know who you are, but if you're here to help, then I won't question it. For now.”

Glorius wordlessly nodded in understanding as they lowered her to the ground.

“I dunno who you are,” Mars shouted from a distance, “but if you think you can help, think again!”

The two dashed out as the bombardment began once again. 

“Maybe Miss Zero can win now!” Charlotte said optimistically.

“I'm not so sure,” Millium tensed, “that knight moved fast, but without a weapon drawn. Even with two fighters, with the speed and size of his spells, it may not matter. We won before because Nyarlathotep used her creatures to cancel Mercurius’ magic. Neither of them seem to be able to stop Mars’.”

“Oh no…” the girl clutched her staff as she watched. Indeed the two were putting up a better fight, but as Millium predicted, they were still having trouble getting close. Mars didn't even seem to care about the extra help. He continued to blast away his opponents and keep a fair distance. Millium did notice something, however. While the attacks didn't slow, they did seem weaker. Despite not needing a chant, it did seem like this 'mana’ wasn't quite all powerful. 

Millium was broken from his thoughts by a strange sound. It was faint, but he could hear it clearly. He realised he could hear it in his head. Just like with the stone…

It was then he knew what it was. Just like before, the strange stone was speaking to him. The stone radiated a power similar to the magic Mercurius and Mars used. It had frightened him due to the comparison to the enemy as well as its sheer power, but it didn't feel evil to him. He could feel the stone calling him from Zero, and even now it felt more like it wanted to help. The battle was growing desperate enough where he may very well have to trust it.

“Charlotte, I have an idea.” He stated nervously.

She looked to him surprised, “You do?”

He nodded, “Yeah, it's just… you may not like it. I think… I think I can use that red stone to help-”

“But,” Charlotte interrupted in a panic, “that power is too dangerous!”

“It might be, but for some reason, I don't think it is. Not from that stone, at least.” He looked over to her and pleaded, “Please, I know you don't really know me, but trust me on this.”

Charlotte shuffled nervously before shaking her head, “I-I’m sorry, but...it was too frightful! I don’t want something bad to happen to you…”

Millium sighed inwardly. He couldn’t blame the girl for how she felt, but even still, he knew he was onto something. His attention turned back to the fight. They had been all but forgotten with Mars focusing so much on Zero and Glorius. The battle was going for far too long. Someone was bound to get tired eventually.

Just as he finished the thought, Zero and Glorius collided. Mars seemed to have noticed the two’s lack of teamwork and herded them on a crash course. Another attack sent them flying back, landing roughly on the ground. Something bounced away from the two as they landed. The red stone had fallen from Zero’s satchel on the impact. 

“So you had the stone after all!” Mars exclaimed. He immediately made a run for it despite his disadvantage in distance.

“Dammit!” Zero shouted. Millium looked to his master to see her and Glorius tangled on the ground. The knight’s heavy armour weighed them down and they were both too tired from jumping and dodging. By the time they would get up, Mars would likely already have the stone.

Millium shifted, getting ready to make a run for it.

“Don’t touch it, Millium! I’ll, argh, I’ll get it!” Zero shouted as she struggled. The two of them were winded and weaken from the constant heat exposure. There was no way they’d make it in time.

He grit his teeth, “I’m sorry, master!” and charged forwards. By the time he started running, Mars was almost just as close. Millium pushed his legs faster, taking advantage of his lack of fatigue.

“No you don’t!” Mars shouted. He slowed and brought his weapon forward, shooting another blast of flame. 

Millium didn’t falter, even as he heard the others telling him to dodge it. He was too close to stop. He extended a hand has he leapt for the ground where the stone lay. The fire was close enough he could feel the heat. As he got close to the stone, it began to glow crimson. The feeling he felt back at the palace returned; the surge of strange, magical power flowed from its surface. This time, instead of fearing it, he’d embrace its power.

His fingers enclosed around the stone just as the fire hit. At least, it would have hit. As soon as the stone was within his grasp, a shockwave of magic pulsed out. Millium had closed his eyes in preparation for impact, but when he no longer felt the heat he opened them. The fire had dispersed as if it hadn’t existed at all; not even a plume of smoke remained. 

Mars’ eyes darted around in shock, “H-hey! What happened?” Finally his gaze fell onto Millium as the boy picked himself off the ground, “It’s you then… the one that can use its power. Dammit.” Mars dropped into a battle ready position, his face uncharacteristically serious, “Alright, guess I know who to take out now.”

Millium flinched at the sudden shift in character. Without another thought, Mars shot another attack. This one was fast, like an arrow surrounded by fire. Millium could feel the magic flow again, and once more focused onto it. In an instance, the flame dispersed, revealing Mars rushing forward with his weapon to deal a hit. The mage smirked, “Ah well, you don’t seem so tough.”

In response Millium dropped down and angled his body. Mars’ eyes widened, having expected him to jumped back and dodge, “Wha?-” Before he could finish his thought, he received a powerful kick under the chin and was sent flying. 

Millium used the momentum to nimbly regain his footing, “I wouldn’t be so sure.” He brought his hand behind him and pulled out a sword hilt, one very similar to Zero’s. Like hers it ignited into a light blue blade, only double the length. Millium tucked the stone into a pouch on his back and gripped the sword hilt with both hands in a battle ready position.

Mars grit his teeth and wiped a bit of blood from his mouth, “Huh, so the brat can fight after all. Alright, fine!” 

The two ran towards each other. Mars fired off smaller attacks, hoping to use them as diversions in order to get close. Millium was able to dodge them as he ran and cast a barrier with his own magic to protect himself. His magic couldn’t stop the large blasts, but they could certainly stop the small, precise ones. 

They reached each other and took their swings, both of them dodging and blocking. Mars was using his bow as a blunt, double sided weapon, and it seemed built to do so. He moved fast, but not fast enough. Millium was used to sparring with Zero. She, too, used a smaller blade and fought with speed and precision. Millium’s weapon was larger and his swings were slower but more powerful. He had learned to cope by blocking hits and swinging when the opponent was left open. Mars landed hit after hit, each blow bouncing off Millium’s blade as the prince blocked each one.

“Let me hit you!” Each word was emphasized by another swing, each one failing to hit a body, “You damn coward, stop blocking and start fighting!” 

Their weapons collided, the surfaces pressed against each other, causing sparks to fly. They came face to face, and Mars was caught off guard when Millium smirked, “I will, I was just charging my own attack.”

Mars frowned, “What? Your magic doesn’t work like that. Don’t mock me!” His voice gave away his confusion and fear, warbling as he shouted. 

He jumped back, not wanting to test if what Millium said was true. That was exactly what Millium had wanted, however. With speed rivaling his master’s, he charged with a wide swing. Mars was able to block the attack, but wasn’t prepared for it to hit with a sudden, greater force. He held it off for only a second before the impact sent him reeling. His breath came out ragged and strained, the attack having hurt his arm greatly.

“H-how did… you do that?” Mars was out of breath by now, obviously not cut out for such intense close combat.

Millium reposed, his sword ready to strike again, “I hadn’t meant I was charging my magic. My weapon and I have a unique ability,” he grinned as he spoke, “with every attack I deal or block, the magic within this blade grows stronger.” He charged again, causing Mars to panic. With his arm hurt and fatigue setting in, he was too tired to cast a spell strong enough to fend Millium off, resulting in him only being able to dodge. He made the motion to jump back and was able to avoid the swipe, but his legs faltered and he landed hard on his back.

Mars went to lift himself up, but was stopped when the tip of Millium’s blade was shoved into his face. Millium looked down and spoke firmly, “It’s over, Mars.”

“Excellent work, Millium.” Zero spoke as she walked over. She was still tired from her own part of the fight, but was now on her feet. She too looked down at the mage, her voice threateningly fierce, “Alright, now you’re going to answer our questions. Who are you Luminaries, and what is this stone that you’re after?”

Mars didn’t respond with anything but a glare. His breath was shaky with fear and fatigue and his eyes looked at the two nervously. Finally he took in a breath to speak, “Namblot!” 

“I’ll save you, Mars!” Suddenly the demon burst out of Mars’ weapon and charged straight for Millium with a comically frightened expression.

“Wha-!” Millium was caught completely off guard, having forgotten about the creature entirely. 

It used its small body and slammed itself into Millium’s face, “I won’t letchya harm Mars ya brat!” 

Millium lost his balance and reeled back, his hands reaching up to pry the demon off his face, “Gah, gef off mf!”

Mars took advantage and leapt up. Before even Zero could react the mage grabbed Namblot and the two burst into fire, disappearing instantly.

There was a moment of silence as Millium and Zero stared at the spot where the two had vanished.

“Ah! I let them get away!” Millium shouted as the situation finally set in.

Zero rose a hand to her face and sighed, “You dropped your guard at victory. You must stop doing that.”

Millium flushed at her words, “I-I’m sorry, master!”

She shook her head and waved a calming hand, “It’s fine, Millium. Well, not completely. He’s likely returning to their leader to give the information he gathered, which is bad for us. But I couldn’t react in time either. It’s not your fault.”

Millium cringed. Despite her reassurance, he still felt guilty. If he hadn’t let his guard down then Mars wouldn’t have gotten away. Even worse, if he hadn’t used the stone like Zero told him, then Mars wouldn’t have had any information gathered in the first place.

Charlotte walked over to the two and eyed them both, “Um, are either of you hurt?”

Zero shook her head, “No, I think we’re both unharmed.”

“Well, except for your pride, no lie!” 

Zero grimmanced at Lunya’s remark and she shot a glare to the girl who was bounding over on her wolf, Lumia’s following close behind, “I see you’re finally awake.”

Charlotte nervously shuffled her hands with a blush, “Ah, well, when Mars was distracted, I tended to Lunya and she woke up.”

“Lovely…” Zero muttered under her breath.

“Um, Millium,” Charlotte started, hoping to change the focus, “do you feel...okay? After using the stone, I mean.”

Zero looked to him as well, “Yes, I’d like to know too. I was surprised you were actually able to use it, all things considered.”

“Umm,” Millium thought for a moment, trying to determine if he did feel anything different, “I think I’m okay. I don’t feel any changes, and now that the fighting's done I can barely feel the stone at all.”

Zero nodded, “Good. It does concern me, what Mars said, but judging from his reaction it seems more a concern for the enemy that you’re able to wield it. Especially since you were able to cancel out his mana, as he called it.”

Millium nodded and was about to say more, but was interrupted as a raindrop landed on his nose. He yelped in surprise from the cool water, having been exposed to such heat only moments ago. The group looked up to the darkened sky, having been too distracted to notice the weather shifting.

“We’d best get moving before a downpour starts. Glorius, you can come-” Zero looked behind her to where she thought the knight was, but stopped when she realised they were nowhere to be seen. She narrowed her eyes, “Well then.”

“Maybe they had to go somewhere important,” Charlotte commented, “I mean, they didn’t seem bad…”

“Hm, maybe.” Zero clearly didn’t seem to buy it. She turned back and began walking, “There’s nothing we can do now. The important thing is to bring Lady Lumia back to the palace safely.”

Millium and Charlotte nodded in agreement, trailing behind her as the two wolves kept pace beside them. More questions had aroused from their encounter, but discussion would have to wait. Each one of them pondered their own thoughts in silence as they walked back to the Light Palace.


	4. Lumia Awakens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a shorter chapter as it has a lot of exposition and not a lot of fighting.

A light drizzle formed a cool mist as the group continued their trek back. The rain wasn’t heavy, but it was enough to soak through their clothes and reach their skin. Millium was greatly uncomfortable but remained silent. He didn’t want to make himself to be the whiny prince that couldn’t handle a bit of water. Lunya, on the other hand, had no such qualms. 

“Augh, this sucks! First we’re freezing, then we’re hot, now we’re freezing _and_ wet!” She complained as she hugged her arms for warmth. “I just want to get back to the palace and take a hot bath”

Charlotte nodded in agreement as she shivered slightly, “Yes, that does sound nice…”

“Not to mention that weird masked guy,” Lunya continued, “Just who did that guy think he was? Showing up and making a mess of things. He was barely helpful.”

“Lunya, I don’t think you have any place to say that, considering you didn’t even fight.” Millium countered flatley.

The wolf girl waved a dismissive hand, “I told you, I was tired.”

“Right…” he gave her an incredulous glance as he focused back forward. Lunya had returned to normal after the moon had disappeared. She didn’t talk about what happened during the Mercurius fight either; they weren’t even sure she remembered turning into Nyarlathotep. Regardless, Millium had to agree with her on one thing; the masked knight was certainly an enigma. They had shown up out of nowhere with hardly a word, then left the same way. Millium had hoped to ask them questions, like about the otherworldly magic feeling they gave off, but no luck. 

“To be honest,” Charlotte started, “the knight felt… familiar, somehow. I don’t know how to explain it.”

Millium looked to her with surprise, “Do you think they’re from your world?”

Charlotte pondered the possibility, “Maybe… I didn’t get to see much of my world because of my illness, but my sister read me lots of stories. They were about knights that were brave and kind. In a way, she was my own knight in shining armour after my brother left.” She smiled softly at the memory.

“She sounds like a wonderful person.” Millium said thoughtfully.

“Yes, they both were…” Her voice trailed off sadly.

Millium cringed, wondering if he said something wrong again. He attempted to lighten her mood subtly, “Well, I hope you can see them again.”

“Yes, I hope so too.” She responded dejectedly, the depressing atmosphere not improving anytime soon.

The longer the group walked in silence, the harder the rain began to fall until it turned into a torrential downpour. Luckily they had reached the palace by that point and quickly ran to its entrance. Even through the curtain of rain the guards immediately recognized their prince and swiftly opened the doors. The group nearly tripped over themselves as they escaped the weather. They stood in the main entrance out of breath and dripping wet. It didn’t take long for some of the palace staff to rush in with fresh towels and assist the soaked crew.

“Millium!” A voice cried out.

“M-mother?” Millium easily recognized the voice behind him. He turned around only to be smothered by Pandora.

“Oh my dear Milly, when the rain started I got so worried!” Her grip around her son tighten.

“Ack, mother, please, you’re embarrassing me!” He gasped out as he tried to escape, a mad blush on his cheeks. 

“Well, as sweet as this is, I’m off to the baths.” Lunya stated nonchalantly as she made her leave. 

She was quickly stopped as Zero grabbed her shoulder, “That can wait. Right now we need to discuss what’s going on. _All_ of us.” 

Lunya rolled her eyes with an irritated sigh, “Fine fine, whatever you say.”

“Oh, that reminds me,” Pandora finally released her grip on her son and looked around the group, “where’s-”

“Lumia!” Grimm burst through the side doors and bounded over to Zero and the others, “Is she alright? Did Millium return safe?” His voice held an edge of concern compare to his typical calm demeanor. With his sister having been missing and his son leaving the city for the first time, it was obvious how worried he had been.

Zero answered him with her typical calm tone, “We retrieved Lumia safely, though she’s still unconscious. Millium has also returned without harm. He even had his first battle and did quite well; I was highly impressed.” She finished while giving her pupil a proud smile to which he returned.

“You were in a fight?!” Pandora grabbed her son’s shoulders with deadly strength, “Are you hurt? Who instigated it? Where are they now?”

“H-honey, please…” Grimm coaxed his wife gently.

Pandora turned to him looking to argue but immediately calmed when she saw his expression. She sighed as she composed herself and released her child, “Well alright, you don’t look injured…”

“I’m fine, mother…” Millium mumbled as he shrugged into his cloak collar. 

“Apologies for interrupting,” Zero began, “but we have much to discuss.”

The Queen nodded, “Yes, I’m sure you do. You can fill us in later. For now, I should get back to Alice and check on her condition.”

“Is Alice okay?” Charlotte asked timidly.

Pandora looked down to the girl and smiled softly, though a hint of worry reflected in her eyes, “She’s doing alright. Whatever attack Lapis hit her with, it was a strange magic. The injuries she received are difficult to heal, but my magic seems to have some effect.”

“Is that so? Interesting…” Zero pondered, “I suppose that’s more to add to the list. Will you join us, Your Majesty?”

Zero and the others turned to the King, only to find him in deep thought. His hand rubbed his chin and his brows were furrowed as his focus was nothing in the distance.

“Father? Are you alright?” Millium asked with concern.

“Hmm…” Grimm hummed, taking another moment before finally looking over to the group. That’s when he noticed everyone staring at him. He smiled sheepishly, “Oh, um, I’m sorry. Was someone speaking to me?”

Pandora rose a hand to her face and sighed, “Oh hun…”

“We’re going to discuss what’s been happening. Will you be joining us?” Zero responded, unfazed.

“Ah, hmm,” He turned his gaze to the window, “tell me what you discuss later. I have a feeling I need to make preparations.”

“Preparations? What do you mean, father?” 

Grimm’s expression harden, “Prepare for war. If Lapis wishes to try and take this world as well, then as its King I will do what I can to stop him.” 

Zero nodded in agreement, “I believe that’s a wise decision, Your Majesty. In the meantime, we will figure things out on the front lines and report back to you.”

“Thank you, Zero. I always know I can count on you.” Grimm smiled at his friend before taking his leave, a couple knights in tow. Pandora took her leave as well, Lumia and the wolf following close behind.

All that left was Zero, Charlotte, Millium, and…

“Lunya!” 

The wolf girl jumped mid snore and looked around in a daze, “Uh, what?”

Zero gritted her teeth, “Did you honestly fall asleep while standing?”

Charlotte giggled as Lunya shrugged nonchalantly. Millium just sighed, finding it harder to believe she and his aunt were friends.

The sage scowled before turning heel and walking down the hall, “Let’s just find a room so we can talk.”

“Augh, more talking? That’s so bor-” Lunya started complaining until Zero whipped around with a sharp glare, “Okay okay! Talking it is.”

The four walked through the corridors led by Zero and Millium. There were a number of lounging rooms on the castle second floor, perfect for getting off their feet and talking. Eventually they found one that wasn’t being used by any staff and took their seats around a table.

“Alright, first and foremost we need to figure out our next move,” Zero began.

“Or we could take a bath and _then_ talk.” Lunya muttered with a pout. 

Zero shot her a venomous glare before continuing, “As I was saying, we need to figure out what our enemy is up to in order to know what we should do. All we know is that the enemy captured Lumia. We don’t know who they are, why they did it, or how many there are.” 

“It is strange, that they captured miss Lumia at the same time we needed her to restore Earth.” Charlotte chimed in.

“Restore Earth? What do you mean?” Millium questioned, not recognizing the name.

“Oh, um, Earth is where Miss Alice is from. When we were fighting Lapis, Kaguya managed to get an orb that’s apparently Earth, but it’s all dark and scary.”

“They were hoping to have Lady Lumia restore it with her magic, but she was already captured. That definitely is quite the coincidence.” Zero added thoughtfully. “Typically Fiethsing would be the one to put the pieces together via her abilities, but for now we’ll have to make due. Charlotte, can you tell us about what happened on Attoractia?”

Charlotte looked down to her hands, “Um, it’s hard to say. Because of my illness, I only managed to see the end of the fight. Lapis’ final attack used a similar power to Mercurius and Mars, I think, but that’s all I know. Sorry…” She finished dejectedly. 

Zero smile reassuringly, “It’s alright, every little bit helps. Alice may have more information to give when she awakens. For now, there’s another matter we can discuss.” Her gaze shifted to Millium, bringing him to attention, “We still don’t know much about that strange stone, other than Millium is able to use its power, a power similar to the enemy.”

“But, we still don’t know for sure,” Millium interjected, still not comfortable with that fact, “and I still can’t exactly control it. At least, I’m not sure how to activate it.” 

“True, but remember that Lumia found the stone, then entrusted it with Lunya in order to keep it out of reach of the ones chasing her.”

“Mercurius and Mars…”

Zero nodded, “Exactly. Mars seemed to be in quite a panic as well, when he saw you use it. That just begs the question, what is it-”

“It’s an ancient magic stone.” Everyone turned to see Lumia leaning against the door frame. She smiled weakly with her face pale but expression warm.

“Ah, Lady Lumia, you’re awake.” Zero commented with a smile.

“Are you feeling better, auntie?” Millium asked as he rose up to help her sit.

Lumia nodded, careful to take a seat with her nephew’s help, “Yes, thanks to all of you. I appreciate your aid.”

“Of course, anything for you and the King. Now,” Zero’s face hardened, “what did you mean about ancient magic stone? What do you know about it?”

Lumia looked to the sage wearily, “Unfortunately I don’t know much. All I know is that it’s a tiny fragment of what remains from an ancient civilization.”

“An ancient civilization?” Charlotte asked.

“Yes,” Millium started, “it’s said that our current era is the aftermath of a disaster from a long time ago. For a while everyone believed that the texts referred to the war with the Cthulhu about a hundred years ago, but recent artifacts have found that something bigger may have happened thousands of years before even that. It’s likely whatever happened then is the reason so much of this world is uninhabitable.”

Lumia laughed, “Couldn’t have said it better myself. I see you’ve been studying.” She ruffled her nephews hair as he smiled sheepishly. She then continued with a serious demeanor, “He’s right though. These fragments of the ancient past have only been surfacing recently. Until now, that stone and others like it have been dormant with their magic. Since the history behind the old world is lost, I don’t know much more. I tried to look into it, but that’s when I was captured.”

Zero nodded grimly, “So, in the end the stone remains a mystery.”

“Though it’s clear the enemy wants it. We should still do what we should to prevent them from obtaining it.” Millium added.

“Agreed. For now,” the sage looked to Charlotte, “I believe there’s another important matter at hand, now that Lady Lumia is awake.”

Charlotte was quiet a moment before jumping up in realisation, “Oh, that’s right! Kaguya left it with me,” she reached into the satchel at her side and pulled out a sickish looking orb, “It’s Alice’s world, Earth...”

Lumia rose from her seat slowly and walked closer to inspect it, “Hmm, I see. It’s been consumed by despair.” She smiled warmly to Charlotte and held out a gentle hand, “May I see it, please?”

Wordlessly the girl passed the globe. Lumia held it delicately as she closed her eyes. Her breathing slowed and she uttered a chant under her breath. The orb began to float between her hands as a gentle light formed. The glow grew brighter until the others had to shield their eyes. The light consumed the globe until it shattered like glass. Left between her hands was a beautiful sphere of blue waters and green forests. Tiny clouds floated above its surface and its entirety appeared to be protected by a layer of transparent magic.

Millium and Charlotte both gasped in wonder. The ball of black miasma had been transformed into a tiny, peaceful planet in no time at all.

“That’s...amazing…” Charlotte breathed in awe.

“She can purify anything that’s been corrupted, but to do so at such a high level of magic. Auntie, you’re amazing!” Millium exclaimed, his face beaming with pride.

Lumia giggled and winked, “I may not be as strong as bro-er, King Grimm, but I have some neat tricks up my sleeve.”

“That you do, little princess~” A sly voice sounded from the doorway. Everyone turned immediately to see none other than Nyarlethotep. She was standing where Lunya had been sitting and wore a wide, confident grin. Everyone collectively reached for their weapons before she chuckled, “Ahh, relax, I’m not gonna hurt anyone, no lie.”

“So, you’ve recovered your memories,” Lumia’s eyes narrowed and her hand remained clutching her sword.

The girl in red nodded, “Yeup, memories and powers and all! But, only when a moon is around,” She gestured to the globe hovering in Lumia’s hand. “And don’t worry, I’m on your side this time, no lie.”

“When I had rescued you in human form, I had hoped you wouldn’t return like this...but, if you’re on our side…” Her voice trailed off as her hand slowly lowered, however her eyes remained transfixed on the Cthulhu girl, “I suppose you can help for now, but don’t think I’ll ever take my eyes off you.”

Nyarlathotep giggled, “Oh yes, I look forward to it little princess, no lie.”

Lumia shot the girl a glare at the nickname before addressing the others, “So, what do we do now?”

Zero made her way to the door, “I’m going to inform the King of what we discussed. The rest of you should relax before we decide our next course of action.”

“So what you’re saying is,” Nyarlathotep started slyly before exclaiming, “it’s bath time!”

The mage sighed in defeat, “If Lumia allows it, then sure.”

“Oh, I plan to regardless. After all, I’m part of this team now, no lie.” She skipped towards the door without waiting for a response.

“Hey, I said no leaving my side!” Lumia shouted before sighing, “Well, I do suppose a bath will be nice after being trapped for so long.” She begrudgingly followed before looking to the remaining two, “Are you coming?”

Charlotte blushed, “I-I’ve never taken a bath with other people before. Are you coming too-” She looked up to Millium standing beside her before catching herself, suddenly growing flustered and frantic, “Ah! I mean, I uh-”

“Me? It’s alright, I have something else I want to do. You all go enjoy,” Millium smiled, clearly not understanding Charlotte’s reaction.

The girl looked at him with widened eyes before relaxing her shoulders, “Oh, um, r-right.”

They left the room together until Millium split off down a different corridor. He was curious about the girl named Alice and her condition. He had heard stories about her from his family and had always wanted to meet her. Such a fantastical sounding girl from another world. She sounded like a character straight out of a story.

Eventually he arrived at one of the vacant medical rooms where Pandora was caring for Alice. He slowly creaked open the door, careful not to make too much noise, and peeked his head inside, “Mother? Can I come in?”

Pandora turned at the sudden presence before smiling at her son, “Of course.”

Millium stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He looked over to the bed to his mother’s side. Under the covers slept a blonde girl who appeared to be the same age as he. She seemed to be in a peaceful slumber, but dark splotches clawed at the edges of her face. They looked like black bruises and were obviously caused by a sinister magic.

“Will she be okay?” the prince asked.

Pandora looked to the girl. She brought up a gentle hand and brushed away some of the hair clinging to her forehead, “I do hope so. My power seems to be the only thing to give her some relief, but even then it doesn’t seem to be enough.”

Millium sat down beside Pandora on the bed next to Alice’s, “What do you think happened?”

She smiled and chuckled, “You’ve always been so curious. We’re not sure exactly, but it seems she got hit by a strange, yet powerful magic. There also seems to be another presence within her causing some conflict.”

“Hmm,” Millium hummed thoughtfully. The magic was most likely the same as the Luminaries. In fact, he was certain of it. He could faintly feel the foreign magic radiating from her wounds. The other presence, however, was something far beyond him.

“Is there something on your mind?” 

Millium looked back to his mother to see her face filled with concern. He had never been good at hiding things from her. He did indeed have something on his mind. The strange power that was affecting Alice was the same as the enemy. The palace’s healers, some of the best in the land, can’t help her with their magic, yet Pandora can. It was far too great a coincidence to not mean something more. The question became if his mother was aware of this and was hiding it, or if she was in the dark as well. Only one way to find out.

“I…”

He was interrupted as the pressure suddenly dropped. The air grew dark and fowl and tinted a sickly purple. It was caused by a very powerful, and very sinister magic.

A voice began to giggle. It came from nowhere, but also impossibly from everywhere, “Heheh, I found you, Alice.”

Pandora and Millium both rose to their feet in alarm. The queen gazed around the room frantically, “Where is that coming from?”

They both flinched as a knock came from the door. The dark magic was condensed and much stronger on the other side. Both mother and son readied themselves with their magic despite knowing they were greatly outmatched. 

The handle started to slowly turn, “Open up,” the voice sang from behind the door, “I know you have my little Alice~”


End file.
